Des Raj Kali – a literary and Intellectual Stalwart: an Obituary

 

Des Raj Kali – a literary and Intellectual Stalwart: an Obituary

Des Raj Kali, born in 1971, a friend of mine, passed away on August 27, 2023 after a brief illness at a young age of 51. It was shocking news on this sultry Sunday. The sad news spread like a wild fire since morning in the social media. If one simply goes by the condolence messages and remarks by the people, one can easily say that Kali Sahib was much liked and accepted son of the soil. I met Kali Sahib, popularly addressed as Kali Bhaji in his friends’ circles,

only after my retirement from my diplomatic career and return to my roots in Jalandhar. He was already a known figure in literary, media and social circles. My friend and a senior colleague, Ambassador Bal Anand who himself was a literary enthusiast, on a visit to Jalandhar, mentioned about Des Raj Kali and his magazine ‘The Lakeer’ and advised me to meet him in the process of settling down and finding a meaningful social space in Jalandhar. Subsequently, I met him several times in the social milieu and made acquaintances with him. I found him an interesting and knowledgeable man but a little ‘haughty’, if I take the liberty of saying so. May be his social background, political orientation (leftist ideology), association with Gadrite movement, understanding and affiliation with the thoughts of Babasaeb Ambedkar and Babu Kanshi and above all his own thought process as a self made intellectual, were some of the attributes which made him a proud man and rightly so. As I said, Kali Sahib belonged to a socially marginalized family of Mithapur, then a village in the outskirts of Jalandhar. Today only I came to know that he was one of my fellow alumni of Jalandhar DAV College. My first one on one interaction held a few years ago when he interviewed me for the mouth-piece of weaker sections of the society, the Apni Mitti run by Ajay Ram Dhan. I found Kali Sahib exactly what I heard of him, full of confidence, professionally experienced, social involvement and commitment. I was impressed by his candid demeanor. Later, I interacted with him quite extensively with regard to socio-political matters of mutual concern in league with my friends, Rajesh Bagha and Inder Iqbal Atwal of BJP and Jiwan Singh of LIC among others. He was not a blind follower of traditions rather stood his ground in holding on his own as he pleased. With the demise of Des Raj Kali, a wide void has come in the intellectual circles of Jalandhar and beyond. His presence will be missed greatly in the days to come.

After this a somewhat personal note, I must salute Kali Sahib for his self earned stature of an astute political commentator, free and fair journalist, a literary genius and communicator, a dedicated social activist and an excellent human being. The Tribune has rightly termed Kali Sahib ‘was best known as a Punjabi crossover writer who took the region's Dalit ethos to the world’. Kali was a renowned author of story books, novels and literature pertaining to the weaker sections of the society with both national and international acclaim - from the Jaipur Lit Festival to Nottingham Trent University in England, Montpellier University, France and Monash University, Australia, among others. Several of his books have been translated in other languages. Kali Sahib was a consummate broadcaster as an apt interviewer and political commentator with his insights on his Youtube channel Barqtan WebTV on wide ranging issues. He also edited and published a quarterly literary magazine The Lakeer and also did stints at the Nawan Zamana and the Dainik Bhaskar. Des Raj Kali produced hundreds of articles on dalits, culture and literature in various magazines like the Tehalka.

With the passing away of Kali Sahib the literary and intellectual circles in and around Jalandhar has lost one of his vocal and candid spokespersons.

With this as a humble tribute to Kali Bhaji, I stand with the bereaved family in their hour of grief.

न हाथ थाम सके न पकड़ सके दामन,

बहुत करीब से उठकर चला गया कोई.

 

 

         

 

Thus spoke PM Narendra Modi from the Red Fort on Independence Day

 

Thus spoke PM Narendra Modi from the Red Fort on Independence Day

I wanted to write earlier on the speech of PM Narendra Modi delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the Independence on August 15 but some other events overtook, hence this delay. Nevertheless, I tend to say my mind on the subject. In a customary address every year, PM of India addresses the nation since

independence in 1947. PM Modi spoke from the Red Fort for the 10th time ever since he took the reins of the county in 2014. Before coming to the content, message and crux of the speech, I must add that PM Narendra Modi certainly add colour to the ceremony – meticulously dressed in a traditional Kurta-Pyzama and every time wearing a new style of a colouful turban representing one region or the other. It goes without saying that he is one of the finest orators who can make his audience spell-bound – a Zaduvian Mukarar.

Such speeches ought to present and explain ‘State of the Nation’ and to be meaningful. The incumbent PM is expected to be a statesman who should take the people into confidence including the opposition without caring for the brownie points for narrow political agenda. It is a matter of gratification to note that since independence in 1947, India has come a long way in establishing herself as the largest

democracy of the world, one of the fastest growing economies, enjoying demographic advantage, one of the established and growing reservoirs of highly skilled manpower among other favorable attributes. We can safely say that ‘India has arrived but we are yet to go a long way to reach’. The challenges are heavy to remain on track – majoritarian approach, socio-economic inequality, growing political intolerance, growing communal chasm, corruption, political and constitutional immorality, institutional rot, weakening Checks and Balances on the organs of the state that is Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, eroding free and fair media are some of the points which offhand come to my mind. We need to ward off ourselves from these dangers to keep India that is Bharat on rails. It is incumbent on our leadership particularly the PM to uphold the healthy tradition of addressing the nation from the Red Fort to lead the ‘tryst with destiny’ on which we embarked upon on the early morning of August 15, 1947.

In this blog, I would try to capture the essence of the speech of PM Narendra Modi delivered this year from the ramparts of the Red Fort.PM Narendra Modi or may be his speech writers often come out with interesting acronyms which make the speech interesting and explanatory to the general public. I mention here a few such expressions used in the speech this year.

ü Deviating from the traditional format of addressing the audience as Mere Pyare Deshvashio (dear citizens) or Bhaio aur Behano (Brothers and sisters), PM Modi came with a new format as Mere Parivar Jano. PM Modi is a ‘astute communicator with skills of deliberate wordplay’.

ü Urged to wage a war on “corruption, dynastic politics and appeasement” – An often repeated assertion of PM Modi to castigate Congress party. Corruption, to my mind is a national malady – Iss Hamam Mein Sab Nange Hain, irrespective of the party. As regards dynastic politics, it is a fact of public life of Nehru-Gandhi family, right from Moti  Lal Nehru to Rahul or Priyanka, the family has been fully involved in the freedom struggle and politics and governance of the country’s politics. It does not, it seems, has any adverse effect on the politics of the country. Coming to appeasement, it is clearly aimed to target the minority community as a considered policy of the ruling right wing Hindu outfits. The fact of the matter, to my mind, is that the currently ruling dispensations themselves resort to the so called ‘appeasement’ of the majority community to polarize the society for political gains. It is for the people to understand these political machinations.

ü PM said that appeasement policies had ‘murdered and destroyed social justice’. He did not explain it how?  Frankly I could not understand as to what he wanted to say. The statement seems to be counter-productive and self contradictory. I will be happy if someone can educate me on this.

ü PM named two major attributes of nation building - unity and national character, describing the latter as a “catalytic agent in any nation's progress” – Of course, these are some of the important attributes for the development and progress of the country and the society at large as PM Modi himself asserted in the address that we should ‘Reform, Perform and Transform’ to make India a ‘developed country ‘by 2047’, the centenary year of free India. Let us admit that the much needed ‘unity’ is under threat and divisive tendencies are getting strong. We are to arrest this trend – the sooner the better. As regards national character, we are yet get democratic and scientific temper and also just social order. We need to think and shed ‘double talk’ on the caste ridden society and try every best to bring about “Samrasta” as professed and propagated by RSS and BJP.

ü Stressed on the specific attributes of the Indian reality – ‘Demography, Democracy and Diversity’ – Yes, these are very important aspects of India’s polity. We are set to be world’s largest populated country surpassing China. Now it would be up to ‘we the people of India’ and our rulers to drive ‘demographic dividend’ out of the emerging situation or let the opportunity slip with narrow political agenda. It has a direct bearing on the other two that id Democracy and Diversity. Over the recent years, it has been observed that our ‘democratic credentials’ are getting weakened with institutional rot, constitutional immorality and divisive politics in the ground situation of ‘socio-economic inequality’.  Diversity, of course, is the fact of our socio-cultural life with multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious edifice. We are to maintain this as a secular country as stipulated in the constitution of India. It could only be maintained if the majority gives enough and credit-worthy assurances to the minorities and give them due space not only in the polity but also in the socio-economic life of our country – ‘United we stand and divided we fall’ is the catchword which should guide us in the years to come without resorting to ‘camouflaged’ approaches.

ü PM Modi repeatedly used the lofty dictum of Gautama Buddha “Bahujan Hitaye – Bahujan Sukhaye” in his speech, it seems, as a
tactical ploy to address the vote banks. There is no harm in this subtle approach. Buddha, of course, is the flag bearer of Indian tradition and culture.

ü Communl strife; particularly the recent events of Manipur and Haryana, to my mind, should have got more attention in the speech. Communalism is the biggest threat to the idea and spirit of India that is Bharat. But, it seemed, it did not fit in the strategic thinking of PM Modi. He chose to avail of the opportunity to take political advantage to carry forward his or his party’s political agenda, unlike a statesman.  Columnist Rajdeep Sardesai has raised a question on this in an article in the Hindustan Times, “From the Red Fort, PM Modi hinted dynastic politics, corruption and appeasement will be his three weapons for 2024. But after nine years in power, will they work as well as they did in 2014?” Only the time will tell.

India is on the move. PM of the day will address the nation again on August 15, 2024. Let us rise ourselves above the petty political considerations as citizens of a great country. I conclude this with a quote from my icon, Babasaheb Ambedkar, “I do not want that
our loyalty as Indians should be in the slightest way affected by any competitive loyalty whether that loyalty arises out of our religion, out of our culture or out of our language. I want all people to be Indians first, Indian last and nothing else but Indians.”

Chisti Ne Jis Zameen Pe Paigame Haq Suniya;

Nanak Ne Jis Chaman Mein Vehdat Ka Geet Gaya’

Mera Watan Wahi Hai, Mera Watan Wahi Hai

 

Bindeshwar Pathak – A Humble Tribute

 

Bindeshwar Pathak – A Humble Tribute

Bindeshwar Pathak (April, 1943 – August, 2023), a man of sterling worth in the field of sanitation, health and environment, passed away on August 15, 2023. Pathak Sahib was a social reformer and a social entrepreneur particularly with regard to the vulnerable sections of the society commonly called the Safai Karamcharis belonging to lowest

strata of the Hindu society in the caste ridden social order of India. The Wikipedia profile of Bindeswar  Pathak writes that he first came to understand the plight of scavengers in 1968 when he joined the Bhangi-Mukti (scavengers’ liberation) Cell of Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebrations Committee. During that time, he travelled throughout India, living with scavenger families as part of his Ph.D. research. Drawing on that experience, he resolved to take action, not only out of sympathy for the scavengers but also in the belief that scavenging is a dehumanizing practice that would ultimately has a destructive impact on the Indian society. He established the Sulabh International a social service organization in 1970.  The organization worked to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, and non-conventional sources of energy, waste management and social reforms through education. He was the Brand Ambassador for Swachh Rail Mission of Indian Railways. His work is considered pioneering in social reform, especially in the field of sanitation and hygiene. He received various national and international awards for his work with this organization. He was presented with the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration, Academics and Management for the year 2017.He was conferred with Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award in 1991.

Bindeshwar Pathak was rightly called a social entrepreneur. The Tribune in its obituary to the departed soul said, “Sulabh reported a turnover of Rs 490 crore in the fiscal 2020. Not just toilets, Sulabh has set up a number of vocational training institutes. Here, liberated scavengers, their sons and daughters and persons from other weaker sections of society are given training in various vocations like computer technology, typing and shorthand, electrical trade, woodcraft, leather craft, diesel and petrol engineering, cutting and tailoring, cane furniture making, masonry work, motor driving. The purpose of imparting vocational training to them is to give them new means of livelihood, alleviate poverty and bring them into the

mainstream of society. From setting up an English medium School in Delhi for children of manual scavengers to providing financial assistance to the abandoned widows in Vrindavan or establish a museum of toilets in the national capital, Pathak and his Sulabh have always worked towards the upliftment of the marginalized.” The Obituary  added, “A pioneer of public toilets in India, Bindeshwar Pathak came to be known as the “Toilet Man of India” long before the Swachch Bharat Mission made toilets a part of public discourse, even as he was often ridiculed, including by his father-in-law, for the work he was doing.”

Subsequently, PM Narendra Modi started the new project to address the issues dear to Pathak Sahib under the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan also called as the Clean India Mission or Clean India drive, of course a laudable initiative. Swachh Bharat Mission, Swachch Bharat

Abhiyan, or Clean India Mission is a country-wide campaign initiated by the Government of India in 2014 to eliminate open defecation and improve solid waste management. The program also aims to increase awareness of menstrual health management. An estimated 1.3 million Dalits (the lowest group in the Hindu caste hierarchy) in India eke out a living through the most degrading practice of manual scavenging, an occupation which involves cleaning open toilets and dry latrines and carrying human excreta with bare hands. In cities and towns, Dalit workers are often employed in the maintenance of sewer systems, sweeping of roads and collection of garbage. Apart from being employed to clean toilets in individual households, they are also engaged in cleaning community dry latrines, roadside open toilets, railway stations, government hospitals and other public places. Pathak Sahib really did a great job in flagging an important issue of degraded human activity, the manual scavenging – experience which, to my mind, was wrongly called ‘a spiritual experience‘ by Mahatma Gandhi and later by PM Narendra Modi –  to Hell with such a spiritual experience.

I have had an occasion to meet and interact with Bindeshwar Pathak some years at a seminar on Guru Ravidass at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. I was impressed by his clarity of

thought and conviction to carry forward his lofty mission to empower the weaker sections of the society; particularly the Safai Karamcharis. Pathak Sahib, 80, died on August 15, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav soon after unfurling the national flag, it has been reported in the media – a glorious departure. India needs a few more sons of the soil like Bindeshwar Pathak:

Badi Mushkil Se Hota Hai Chaman Mein Didawar Paida

And –

Jis Dhaj Se Koi Maktal Mein Gya; Woh Saan Salamat Rahti Hai,

Yeh Jaan To Aani Jaani Hai; Is Jaan Ki Koi Baat Nahin

Guru Ravidass and the Main Stream of the Society

 

Guru Ravidass and the Main Stream of the Society

Guru Ravidass, 14th century mystic saint and social reformer, of the Bhakti Movement was the harbinger of equality and fraternity in the society which the leadership of the main-stream of the Hindu society

including RSS and BJP, now a days, call ‘Samrasta’. The great Guru’s egalitarian message stood against the birth based caste-system and pleaded for brotherhood as stipulated in his lofty Vani (poetry) which is, partly, enshrined in the Shri Guru Granth Sahib of the Sikhs:-

Keh Ravidass Khalas Chamara; Jo Ham-sehri So Meet Hamara

(Ravidass, the lowly of the low, says that every fellow citizen of mine is my friend)

It is a matter of satisfaction that the very principles of having a healthy society as followed and preached by Guru Ravidass found place in the ‘secular, socialist and democratic’ constitution of India written under the stewardship of Babasaheb Ambedkar who was greatly impressed by the thoughts and legacy of the Guru to establish an inclusive society. Babasaheb Ambedkar dedicated one of his books,The Untouchables, to Guru Ravidass. Guru Ravidass’s teachings set the ball in motion to establish an egalitarian society and welfare state in the Sabad (Vani):-

Begumpur Shehar Ka Naon; Dukh Andoh Nahin Jis Ke Thaon

(The name of the State which should be created shall be ‘Begumpura’ (a place without misery and sorrow) where there would be no pain and suffering)

He clearly laid the foundation of democratic socialism in the present parlance and said:-

Aisa Chahun Raj Mein; Yahan Mile Saban Ko Ann;

Chot- Bade Sab Sam Vashen; Ravidass Rahe Prasan.

(I wish that kind of governance and establishment where no one remains hungry. All, low and high or rich and poor live in a just social order. It keeps Ravidass happy)

With this background, I may add that my immediate motivation to write about the current relevance of Guru Ravidass to create an inclusive society and integrate the socially weaker sections with the

main stream of the society.  The ruling outfits of the day, ostensibly, are engaged in the process to appease and woo the followers of Guru Ravidass by honouring and recognizing the role and contribution of the great Guru. Let it be as long as it helps in transforming the society to bring about ‘Samrasta’ in the society at large. In fact, I have no hesitation in registering my candid support to the lofty idea of Samrasta in my own humble way as I am a firm believer in ‘fraternity and brotherhood’ as a humble Ravidassia and Ambedkarite.

PM Narendra Modi layed the foundation stone of the prestigious project of Guru Ravidass Temple in MP’s Sagar district and performed the ground breaking (Bhoomi Pujan) ceremony at Sant Shiromani Ravidass Memorial Sthal. The programme also marked the culmination of the ruling party's ongoing 'Samrasta (harmony) Yatra', seen as an attempt by the saffron outfit to reach out to Dalits ahead of the crucial polls in Madhya Pradesh. Doing the honours, PM Modi said, "Today I got the opportunity to lay the foundation for Sant Ravidas' temple and I believe that he will give me the opportunity to inaugurate the same when it is completed in the next one-and-a-half years." Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he has full faith that the project will prove to be a milestone in popularizing the education and thoughts of Sant Ravidass for the benefit of the society.

It is a welcome initiative of the MP Government and of the ruling dispensations. I have been writing about these and related matters such as; Guru Ravidass Tughlakabad (Delhi) Mandir which was destroyed and demolished by the DDA under the administrative control of the Urban Development Ministry of the central government, Development of Khuralgarh Sahib (Charan Cho Ganga)

in Garhshankar of Hoshiarpur in Punjab, Development of Seer Goverdhanpur (birthplace of Guru Ravidass) in Banaras in UP, Naming of Adampur Airport in Jalandahar after Guru Ravidasss in my blogs with a view to generate awareness and urge the authorities and the organizations like RSS and VHP to do something concrete to integrate the weaker sections and socially marginalized segments with the main stream of the society under the ‘Samarasta’ agenda. I am also aware that various agencies representing RSS and BJP are in touch with various spiritual Deras of the followers of Guru Ravidass, not only in north India but beyond too, to integrate them with the main stream of the society both genuinely to transform the Hindu society and to woo them as vote banks. I don’t see any wrong in the process both on account of social action and also political strategy.  But to put it candidly, the selective approach in this regard is counter-productive. One cannot eat the cake and have it too. A temple at the cost of 100 crore as a memorial of the great Guru on one hand and uncalled for and lopsided behavior in Tughlakabad in demolishing the ancient temple built himself by Guru Ravidass on the gifted site by the then ruler, Sikander Lodi are not understandable. These self contradictory approaches do not go well with the masses. Sincere and clear hearted actions by the high caste Hindus would go a long way in registering their interest in creating an inclusive society as ‘Samrasta’ their agenda and goal.

 It is time that the stake holders, both the followers of Guru Ravidass and the leadership of the main stream of the Hindu society, should understand this – sooner the better. The followers of Guru Ravidass and the marginalized sections of the society should shed their inhibitions and stand for their due space in an inclusive and just society. Particularly, the spiritual Deras should not contend themselves with escort security jeeps and fully armed guards and photo ops with the VVIPs but interact with the authorities to get and safeguard the rights and due space for the masses. Guru Ravidass’s lofty Vani and his legacy is fully relevant and potent to bring about Samrasta in the society. It is fully pragmatic to integrate the society as desired by our fore-fathers and stipulated in the constitution of India to create a just social order. The main stream of the society (Caste Hindus) must realize that the followers of Guru Ravidass are increasingly understanding and imbibing the message of Guru Ravidas and would certainly apply it in their struggle for their rightful place in the society at large:-

Pradheenta Paap Hai; Jan Lyo Re Meet,

Ravidass Dass Pradheen Se Kaun Kare Hai Preet.

(Slavery is sin. Understand this; my dear fellows. Nobody loves slaves like Ravidass)

Guru Ravidass and his followers stand for brotherhood, Fraternity and Harmony that is ‘Samrasta’ in the country and the society at large. There cannot be better occasion to say this as the Eve of the Independence Day – the culmination of the year long Azadi Ka Mahautsav.

With this, I take this opportunity wish my fellow citizens – Azadi Mubarak

 

 

As I Please – Some Random Thoughts

 

As I Please – Some Random Thoughts 

India is passing through an interesting but crucial phase of its existence since independence – its growing stature in the comity of nations, world’s largest democracy, fast growing economy, one of the largest reservoir of skilled manpower as some of the

encouraging traits on one hand and some disturbing trends; growing communal divide, increasing political animosity, strengthening majoritarian approach, decreasing political and constitutional morality, institutional rot, growing chasm among the organs of the state that is Executive, Legislature, Judiciary and captive (Darbari or Godi) Media on the other. It is a matter of concern and worry for ‘we the people of India’. I would touch upon a couple of recent developments to make my point - As I Please.

Communal Riots in Manipur and Haryana - I mentioned about the increasing communal divide. Our constitution makes us a secular state with multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-linguistic diversity as the underlying feature of the society and polity. Unfortunately, of late, this very edifice of the country is coming under increasing

threat, most often by design and policy to have communal divide for political polarization and vested and narrow political gains. For the last almost three months, Manipur, a sensitive state on our borders with our apparent adversary, China is burning – killings, looting, rape, arson and destruction of private and public property are going on unabated. The state government has failed totally and the central government, it seems, is trying to save its face not by action to arrest the deteriorating situation but by sheer jugglery by resorting to the said ‘majoriitarian’ approach. The communal situation in Manipur reminded me of the situation in Rwanda and Burundi in mid 1990s which I witnessed as a diplomat. The over-stated and, to my mind, exaggerated  fears of ‘conversion’ claims of the hard-core Hindutava elements have resulted in  communal divide among the Naga and Kuki Tribes on one side and the Meitei residents of the state. The situation is tense and needs immediate attention of both the state and central ruling outfits. The issue requires tactful handling rising above the narrow considerations of votes and sectarian considerations of Christians or Hindus. The communal strife in Nuh and other places in Harayana have added fuel to the communal fire engulfing India and the very ‘spirit of Bharat’ with the Hindu-Musim divide. Again, it seems, either the governments or the administration have been

caught napping or it has happened by a well thought and planned strategy (Prayog) by the vested interests. But whatever has happened is totally unwarranted and condemnable. It goes without saying that the lofty slogan of ‘Sab Ka Sath – Sab ka Vikas – Sab Ka  Vishwas’ has totally been negated by the incidents of Manipur and Haryana. Parliamentary standoff between the government and the opposition on debating the issue of Manipur is again a total mockery of parliamentary democratic system. The parliament is held hostage both by the government and opposition. Why does the government develop cold feet in discussing the Manipur incidents threadbare as the opposition demands? Taking shelter under this rule or that rule by the government is totally unjustifiable. Political dust is raised to simply to camouflage the real issues. There are double standards and hypocritical approaches to deal with violence and communal issues – Manipur is burning and government is not even willing to discuss and take opposition and the people into confidence with more than 6 thousand FIRs and only a few arrests – Haryana communal incidents result in more than 1 hundred FIRs and double the number of arrests and use of the untraditional methods of using bulldozers to deal with the alleged culprits. It seemed that the majority community tended to terrify the minority by using brutal muscle power. It seems ‘show me the face and I will show you the rule’ is the norm. Governments woke up on the Manipur situation only after the Supreme Court took a suo-moto note of the matter. We would justify these things at our own peril.

Chupake Ashtin Mein Bijalian Rakh Li Gurdu Ne;

Anadil Bagh Ke Gafil Na Baithen Ashiano Mein

 

Parliamentary Standoff between the Government and the Opposition – In a parliamentary democracy, functioning of parliamentary is of utmost importance as it represents the will of  ‘we the people of India’ through their representatives. But unfortunately again, it is not happening. Like many a times earlier

too, the monsoon session of the parliament has almost been wasted. Whatever work has been done is a mere eye wash amounting to fraud on the system and the people as the bills have been passed without proper debate and scrutiny. It is evident, as alleged by the opposition, that even the Presiding Officers of both the Houses of Parliament are not able to shed their partisan behaviour as expected of them by the system. First, the standoff persisted on the Rule under which the debate on the Manipur issue should be conducted. I think the Government should have been magnanimous and accommodating in dealing with the issue. The opposition was compelled to resort to the Motion of No-confidence knowing well that they don’t have the numbers to say their mind. Against all norms of precedents and morality, the motion of no-confidence has been listed for the fag end of the session. It has killed the purpose of discussing the Manipur and other issues on one hand and has allowed the government to rush with the legislative business even if the opposition has registered its no-confidence in the government. It simply has no moral justification expect the fact that the government is obsessed with its absolute majority in the Lok Sabha. It is said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It amounts to ushering the country into ‘Grammar of Anarchy’ as warned by Babasaheb Ambedkar in his last speech in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949. An Urdu couplet explains and may give some direction in this regard:

Woh Parde Ke Piche; Mein Parde Ke Aage,

Woh Aage Badenege; To Kuch Bhi Na Hoga,

Mein Piche Hatunga; To Dunia Hasegi .

 

Repeated Extensions to Senior Bureaucrats – Bureaucracy is the permanent government in a parliamentary democracy. Political leadership changes with the change of government in terms of the parliamentary mathematics. Sardar Patel, the first Home Minister of free India, rightly called the top bureaucracy as ‘steel frame ‘of the government. Governments are expected to maintain some sanctity in managing the bureaucracy. The point in question is the repeated extensions being given to some selected or say pliable top bureaucrats. It is a very negation of the status of a functional an efficient permanent government. The immediate provocation to write this is the recent repeated extensions to the Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED), Sanjay Mishra, Cabinet Secretary, Rajiv Gauba and Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla. Even the Supreme Court commented sarcastically on the extension of tenure of Director of ED and asked the government as to why they could not find any other competent and capable officer to man the show? These undemocratic and arbitrary decisions not only negate the time tested norms of seniority in the civil services but also generate insecurity among the cadres. Many of the good and meritorious officers who rightly aspired to reach the top in their respective cadres sulk and retire. It leaves and generates demoralizing effect in the bureaucracy which is not good for the system.

Hubeda Aaj Apne Zakhme Pinha Kar Ke Chodunga;

Lahu Ro Ro Ke Mehfil Ko Gulistan Kar Ke Chodunga.

 

I am a small cog in the big wheel and don’t know much. I have no mind to find faults and join the blame game. I took the courage of writing about some of the current issues as a concerned and worried citizen without any political affiliation. I have no personal agenda or axe to grind. India has come a long way and we are still to go a long way on our long and tedious journey of progress and prosperity. We

are to be mindful of this – the sooner the better. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s assertion comes to mind and we all must learn something from him to keep India on Rails. He said, “However good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad. However bad a Constitution may be, if those implementing it are good, it will prove to be good.”

 

Let us prove our Constitution to be good.

Mein Nahin Sandesh Swarag Ka Lya;

Is Bhootal Ko Hi Swarag Banane Aya.

                                              

 

                    

Education and Training – Appreciable Initiatives of Punjab

 

Education and Training – Appreciable Initiatives of Punjab

There is no point in reiterating that education and training of youth is an important ingredient not only in the development of personality of the individual but also in the progress and prosperity of the country and the society at large. PM Narendra Modi  commented on the NEP, 2020 (new education policy) and said National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 would play an important role in creating a generation free from the mentality of slavery; eager for innovations; ready to bring laurels in fields from science to sports; and willing to skill themselves as per the needs of the 21st century. Let us hope we succeed in attaining the lofty goals in this regard with a view to make India - Vishav Guru.

  Over the decades, since independence in 1947, the respective governments have been doing their bit to impart education and training to the young generations of Punjab and as a result we have come a long way in this regard. But, it is also a fact that we are still to go a long way to meet the challenges of the fast changing scenario

to catch up with the future. Punjab was doing well in the field of education and training as such was one of the leading states in human-resource development but, of late, it has lagged behind and is increasingly becoming a matter of concern and worry. Governments are required to address the issue head-on. I think the first and foremost need to do that is to create an edifice of good education and training. It is a matter of gratification to note that the Punjab Government under the stewardship of CM Bhagwant Mann has taken some appropriate and appreciable initiatives and actions to reform, and strengthens the education and training facilities to meet the needs of the younger generation in the years to come. Speaking in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, CM Bhagwant Mann announced multipronged improvements in the education sector, which he termed the bedrock for building a new society. He said government schools in the state will be transformed into ‘schools of eminence’. He added to ensure that students get quality and affordable education, the government was committed not only to building state-of-the-art government schools but also regulating fees in private schools. Underscoring the need for revamping teacher training practices, the chief minister said best practices will be considered from across the country and the world. Some of the salient points of the new initiatives are:-

Ø State government’s collaboration with regional English language office of the US Embassy in New Delhi to train around 50 mentors who will to further train the teachers.

Ø  Setting up 19 new industrial training institutes to provide quality technical education.  Several new courses are under consideration to be introduced in various Industrial Training Institutes.

Ø  Open 10 centers for providing training to youngsters free of cost for competitive exams of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

Ø Training and orientation courses to the teachers at IIMs, IITs and other institutes of high learning.

Ø Training and orientation course to teachers in foreign universities and institutions

Ø MOU with British Council of Education India Private Limited for opening of new avenues of employment for youth – English for employability skills.

Ø Revival of posts of PT instructors in the schools for instilling discipline and physical fitness.

Ø Kheda Watan Punjab Dian - to give major fillip to sports.

Ø  Training and knowledge on Agriculture to the young students as vocational inputs

These are some of new steps and initiatives to make Punjab a ‘Hub of Quality Education’ as termed by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann. These are appreciable activities which would tend to yield handsome dividends in due course. The western developed countries impart basic knowledge of carpentry, plumbing, and gardening etc. at the school level. The decision to educate and train our young students in the basic agriculture is a welcome step. The English language is a recognized vehicle of embarking on the journey to a dignified destination of wholesome bread and butter. Punjab government’s institutional arrangements with the USA and the UK to enhance English language knowledge will go a long way in creating good avenues of employment of youth.

Over the years, it has been observed that Punjab’s share in Indian Civil Services like IFS, IAS, IPS and Allied Services is dwindling. It is a matter of concern. The decision to establish coaching centers for the examinations conducted by the UPSC not only for the civil services but also of the central police forces and also the armed forces is also a much needed step to arrest the decline and get a due and increased share in the elite civil, police and military services. It is a matter of satisfaction that Punjab constitutes of 8% of the Indian army even though Punjab accounts for just 2.5% of India's population. We not only need to maintain this but also increase our share in the years to come.  I take this opportunity to appreciate and congratulate the Government of Punjab under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann for the policy initiatives to reform and strengthen Education and Training Facilities, the very basis of development and progress.

My immediate motivation to write about the education and training facilities of Punjab came from my recent, off the cuff, discussion with my brother Paramjit Mahey an ardent AAPIAN, a rank-holder

volunteer and fan of CM Bhagwant Singh with regard to these appreciable steps. One related issue also came up – the issue of training an employment of Scheduled Caste youth of Punjab for the civil services and also of defense and police services. SCs constitute more that 35% of the population of Punjab. Punjab’s progress and prosperity is definitely related to this huge mass of population. I would only be happy that if SC youth of Punjab avail of the facilities created by the government and benefit themselves.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

– Benjamin Franklin